The Curious Case of Microdosing Psychedelics
Microdosing — taking small, repeated doses of psychedelics—is it hype, or does it really enhance mood and creativity?
“Today, I took my first microdose. My senses are ever-so-slightly heightened… The trees look prettier than usual; the jasmine smells more fragrant… I feel happy.” Ayelet Waldman wrote this personal account in A Really Good Day, which echoed reports from others who have experimented with taking small, repeated doses of psychedelic substances.
So what exactly is microdosing, and what are its purported effects?
There’s no formal definition, but microdosing generally involves regularly taking very low doses of psychedelics like LSD or psilocybin, around one-tenth to one-twentieth of a typical “trip” dose. These amounts produce subtle effects without causing hallucinations or impairing cognition.
Microdosing psychedelics, like LSD and psilocybin, has become an intriguing trend in recent years, especially in Silicon Valley and among other creative communities. Tech leaders and innovators from Steve Jobs to Elon Musk have extolled the mind-expanding benefits of psychedelics. And amidst growing research on these substances for treating depression and anxiety, microdosing has emerged as an alluring shortcut to boosting mood, creativity, productivity, and overall well-being.
But beyond the hype, what does the research say so far?
LSD is activated in the body at tiny concentrations of just 1 nanogram per milliliter of blood — thousands of times lower concentrations compared to other pharmaceuticals. Psilocybin also demonstrates rapid dose-dependent changes in human imaging studies — even very low doses alter serotonin receptor activity patterns in PET scans. So, microdoses are still pharmacologically active.
Over 5000 people shared their experiences of microdosing in a recent survey. They reported improved mood, relationships, creativity, productivity, and overall well-being.
However, rigorous placebo-controlled studies are still limited. One analysis of modern research concluded that microdosing appears to alter specific cognitive functions like time perception, pain tolerance, and consciousness.
For example, people consistently underestimate time intervals after microdosing in controlled tests. Other lab studies found reduced pain sensitivity and changes in consciousness after microdoses — like subtle sensory enhancements and imaginative or symbolic thinking.
But so far, there’s insufficient evidence to confirm anecdotes of increased creativity or work performance, though mood enhancements show more promise. One fascinating study linked microdoses of LSD to changes in brain connectivity related to emotion. As the researchers noted, this hints at a potential antidepressant mechanism that warrants further exploration.
Much more research is needed, especially on the long-term impacts of regular microdosing. Scientists have raised concerns about potential heart valve risks, though past studies on moderate psychedelic use haven’t borne out lasting cardiovascular harm. One paper concluded that microdosing is neither a panacea nor inherently dangerous but rather an intriguing phenomenon with more questions than definitive answers.
There’s also the question of who might benefit most from microdosing. The wide variability in individual experiences suggests that some people respond more robustly than others due to biological differences, internal expectations, and environmental settings. Controlled trials could better predict which populations stand to benefit most from microdosing.
Nevertheless, microdosing remains in a grey zone — neither fully legal nor regulated, subject more to media hype than scientific consensus. More research is needed to unravel the curious case of microdosing’s small doses and seemingly big effects.
References
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Kaypak, A. C., & Raz, A. (2022). Macrodosing to microdosing with psychedelics: Clinical, social, and cultural perspectives. Transcultural psychiatry, 59(5), 665–674. https://doi.org/10.1177/13634615221119386
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Kuypers K. P. C. (2020). The therapeutic potential of microdosing psychedelics in depression. Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology, 10, 2045125320950567. https://doi.org/10.1177/2045125320950567
Polito, V., & Liknaitzky, P. (2022). The emerging science of microdosing: A systematic review of research on low dose psychedelics (1955–2021) and recommendations for the field. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, 139, 104706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104706
Rouaud, A., Calder, A. E., & Hasler, G. (2024). Microdosing psychedelics and the risk of cardiac fibrosis and valvulopathy: Comparison to known cardiotoxins. Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England), 2698811231225609. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811231225609
Waldman, A. (2017). A really good day: How microdosing made a mega difference in my mood, my marriage, and my life. Alfred A. Knopf.
This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence.
